Sunday, September 25, 2011

A Historic House in the City

My followers and viewing statistics relate that my readership is concentrated on other countries. My few local readers usually include my friends, cousins and colleagues. I care about my few and humbled readers so I try my best to write things that would interest them.

In my almost a year of blogging, I have also noticed that I receive a lot of positive comments and hits whenever I write about my country. Topics about my country which include places, food, and traditions were my most appreciated posts. Since I value my readers, I promised myself that I would regularly write things that would interest them. Topics about my country will now be a regular content of my posts. I hope this makes my readers happy. :) In one way or another, this could also serve as my contribution in promoting the tourism industry of the Philippines. Despite all the negativities, I want to prove to everyone that my country is beautiful and worth to pay a visit.

The only people who can recognize this place are my cousins and friends who are residing in Marikina City. I hope they really do. ;-)

I was born and raised in Marikina City. This city is my home and cliche as I may sound, I would never exchange Marikina for any other place in the Philippines. Marikina is a suburban area and mostly comprised of small residential communities. High rise buildings and all those hustle and bustle of the city are things you cannot experience in Marikina. We have enough businesses, supermarkets, and a department store to supply your basic needs. Other than that, Marikina is simply a quiet and livable place.

Though we are a small city, Marikina is very rich in history. The shoe industry in the Philippines started and proliferated in my hometown. The shoe industry in Marikina started when the Philippines was still colonized by the Spanish government. A Filipino named Don Laureano Guevarra, aka Kapitan Moy, is considered as the father of the Marikina shoe industry. He started the idea of producing local shoes.

The picture above is the house of Kapitan Moy. This house is where the first local pair of shoes in the Philippines was produced. The shoemaking business in the Philippines formally started in 1887 in this house. More or less, this house is around 200 years old.

Some historical materials even relate that Kapitan Moy opened his home to the needy Filipinos. He gave employment opportunities to his fellowmen.

After the Spanish colonization, the Americans used this house for their tribunal. During the 1940s, the Japanese colonized the Philippines and this house became their army headquarters.

Today, Kapitan Moy's place remains as a historical site. The house can be rented as a venue for wedding receptions and other events. I just hope that the local government will continue its efforts in preserving this piece of history.

Did I just bore you? ;-) I hope you enjoyed my little historical post. Have a great week to everyone!

10 comments
:

I ALWAYS enjoy reading about your adventures and your culture...you're better than any travel brochure or tour guide:-) I do hope the government continues to keep this beautiful building as a historic site for all to enjoy.

I always find it interesting to read about other countries, including the Philippines!Thanks for sharing the history of your little town. I feel the same way about historical buildings..hoping the government won't tear them down, as they did with a few of our historic houses. So sad. I guess greed got in the way.take care,Duni

No boredom here! I can understand why your readership is higher when you relate stories like this which includes Marikina City. I'm curious as to the number of people living there. I'm guessing about 1-200,000? I love the architecture of the houses-the shoe company.

Hi Diane,I enjoyed hearing the history of your hometown. I have bought shoes before that said, "made in th Phillipines". I bet they were made there. Fun to learn that interesting fact. I like visiting you no matter what you write about.

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